Community Corner
Music, Fun and Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Festivities in our area include fireworks, a free concert series, the US Military Academy Band, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and R & B by Lonnie Youngblood
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. invites the public to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks displays and musical performances by the U.S. Military Academy Band from West Point in Brookdale Park and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in Branch Brook Park in Newark.
The 2011 Summer Music Concert Series also features Rhythm and Blues performances by the Don Carter Quintet and Lonnie Youngblood. Here is a guide to what’s happening when:
House Music Festival
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Date: Saturday, June 25, 2011
Time: 12 Noon to 8 p.m.
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Place: Essex County Weequahic Park
Meeker Street, Newark, NJ
R&B by the Don Carter Quintet
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Essex County Veterans Memorial Park
West Market Street, Newark, NJ
R&B by Lonnie Youngblood
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Essex County Irvington Park
Lyons Avenue,Irvington, NJ
The U.S. Military Academy Band and Fireworks Spectacular
Date: Friday, July 1, 2011
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Brookdale Park, Watchung/BellevueAvenue, Bloomfield, NJ
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Fireworks Display
Date: Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Essex County Branch Brook Park
The Great Lawn
Heller Parkway, Newark, NJ
Free Admission to all concerts.
About the Music:
The U.S. Military Academy Band
The 48-member is a direct descendant of the small "Band of Musick" at West Point in 1817. One of the finest military bands in the world, the band recently received the Colonel George S. Howard Citation of Musical Excellence for Military Concert Bands. The West Point Band has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Tanglewood and the Meyerson Symphony Center. In April 2009, its members performed the National Anthem at the first home game in the new Yankee Stadium.
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, led by Conductor Gerald Steichen, will perform music from the stage and screen, including John Williams’ score for The Cowboys, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Smetana’s The Moldau and patriotic favorites. Soloists from Opera New Jersey will perform, including soprano Heather Johnson and baritone Marco Nistico.
R&B by Lonnie Youngblood
Lonnie Youngblood fuses folk, gospel, jazz and pop music into a unique blend of emotion and technical study. Youngblood has released four albums in the last four years, including "In the Garden," "Count Your Blessings," "In the Garden II," and "Unforgettable." He started his music career in Georgia and began his professional music career in Newark. In 1966, as the leader of his own band, Youngblood hired a guitarist Jimmy James, who later would become the world-renowned Jimi Hendrix.
Concerts are held at handicapped-accessible sites. Persons who require special accommodations or assistance are asked to call at least two weeks prior to the concert to alert staff as to their needs.
For more information, please call the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs at973‑239-2485. TDD # 711. Admission to the concerts is free.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system in the United States. It has been expanded to include about 6,000 acres of land. There are 20 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, miniature golf course, three dog parks, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Monclair.
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